Airman's cave: 17 hours. 105 lb fem with one hellluva partner. I brought a camel's back and 12 lb backpack = water trail mix Gatorade redhots, peanut butter vanilla wafers and no xp spelunking. He took 1.5 gal water, hotdogs, cheese, tortilla, can of soup? (lol yeah I know, crazy). Heavy pack for him... I know I had to help heft, lift and push the thing.
2 headlights, battery lantern, 2 hand flahlights candles knee pads, elbow pads hats.
The one thing that would not be good.. is having your light fail...pitch black is an understatement.
lol I started unintentionally renaming some areas.. like "deadman's crawl" Daemon teeth crawl" etc.. I cursed quite a lot in some of those low areas 20-30 ft on my back or tummy watching the ceiling 2-3" above my face... "I don't do WELL in with this type of thing".. I kept saying. "What did I ever DO to deserve this?" The "F" "MF" bombs flowered and multiplied from my lips many times in the most challenging parts. I think my partner laughed the most at "WHAT THE HELL! WAS I THINKING..." He said I've never heard you use the F word. lmao Well I used it 5000000xs. *smiles angelically*
Anyways, we did make it out thanks to my partner's stable centered nature and xp. Trust is paramount and I trusted him. Now for sure, I always will.
Is there a geode room? Yes, but it is at the end of that 2.5 mi cave of hell. I doubt many will actually find it, as the way "in" is nearly impossible even if skinny midget children in petroleum jelly tried.
I will mention that the audible resonance of the cave in the end-chambers where crystals are within the walls, etc.. is deafening. I still hear the various frequencies of sound in the days after and wonder if it will ever stop. (hasn't yet)
This cave was extremely difficult to manage psychologically, emotionally and physically for a newbie. Thanks to a partner that I trusted and his knowledge I made it through. Sometimes I quietly wondered if I could, but I did with his help, encouragement and most of all, laughter at my assorted curses.
I slept 16 hours and it took me 20 minutes to get out of bed (pain pain pain. Sore is not even an accurate word) My small body screamed at the level of sharp pain that overlapped significant deep aching in every muscle. I could not count all the deep colorful bruises on my shoulder points, elbows, back, knees, booty, legs, body (yes we had knee pads, elbow pads) I looked like I had been tortured so long sleeves, jeans were the clothes I wore for the next week n half until they faded.
Airman's Cave: A personal achievement that was hard fought and hard won.